Combined neck-yoke and coupling means



T. S. MOFFETT. COMBINED NECK YOKE AND COUPLING-MEANS.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 19.1919.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

jnuenror UNITED STATES THOMAS S. MOFFETT, OF WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON.

COMBINED NEGK'YOKE AND COUPLING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed July 19, 1919. Serial No. 312,062.

1 '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. Morin'rr, a citizen of the United States,residing at lValla alia, in the county of Walla Walla and State oflVashington, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Combined Neck-Yokes and Coupling Means, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to neckyoke and coupling means and has for itsobjects to provide a means for supporting the tongue of a vehicle bymeans of a swivel gornt, whereby the neckyoke is kept truly in linedirectly ahead of the tongue, and with the center piece of the neckyokemade in one piece, and provided with mortised recesses to receive thearms of the neckyoke, and extension pieces to assist in holding saidarms rigidly in place.

A further object is to provide a coupling means whose male portion issimple to construct and by aid of its extension pieces is simple toinstall on the tongue and which will remain permanent.

A further object is to provide a means on which the reins cannot catchand which is easy to remove from the tongue, easy to replace and proofagainst accidental d1slodgment.

A further object is to provide a neckyoke having swiveled harness ringsin the ends thereof that will receive the breast strap without troubleand that will revolve and give ample play and not twist the straps.

A further object is to provide a means to inclose the end of the tongueso that the hill ness reins cannot catch thereon.

lVith these and other objects in view reference is had to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention;

2 is a sectional view of the center piece;

Fig. 3 piece;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the cap and revoluble member,enlarged;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the revoluble member and ring enlarged;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the socket; and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the ring, enlarged.

In the drawings similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout and 1is a one is a rear elevation of the center piece center piece having arecess 2 in each end thereof to receive the arms 3 of the neckyoke. Thiscenter piece hasa ball socket 4L situated in thecenter thereof and anoblong channel 5 communicating therewith with its major diameterextending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the neckyoke andof a width slightly in excess of the diameter of the ball socket, and aminor diameter of less than the diameter of the ball socket.

On the ends of the center piece are extension pieces 6 which are cast ormade integral with the center piece and which are designed to aid inholding the arms 3 in rigid connection with the center piece.

The arms 3 are mortised into the center piece and are held securely bymeans of the rivets 7. On the outer ends of the arms are caps 8 which,as shown in the large view, Fig. 4:, are hollow, having an orifice 9 provided in the ends thereof to receive the revoluble member 10 to whichthe ring 11 is hingedly mounted. The orifice 9 being smaller than theend of the cap forms a shoulder 12 against which the revoluble member isheld, and to prevent this member from accidental dislodgment the end 13of tihe arms is placed so that it forms a backing or it.

The sleeve shown in Fig, 6 consists of a socket piece 14; which isextended to form a neck 15 upon which is a ball 16 having two flat sides17. The diameter of the ball equals the diameter ofthe ball socket 4,and the distance between the two flat sides is less than that of theball socket and equals the diameter of the minor axis of the channel 5.The neck 15 is made of smaller diameter than the above mentioneddistance between the two flat sides to leave a shoulder 18. On the rearend of the sleeve and integral therewith are extension pieces 19 similarto those of the extension pieces 6 on the center piece 1 and areintended to aid in holding the tongue and sleeve rigidly together bymeans of the rivets 20 and the bolt 21, see Fig. 1, the tongue beingmortised to fit into the sleeve as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In use the neckyoke is placed against the ball 16 with the longitudinalaxis of the neckyoke in a vertical position, the channel 5 is then inregister with the flattened sides of the ball which is now free to enterthe ball socket; a quarter turn makes the coupling secure, and inhitching the horses to the neckyoke the breast strap is passed throughthe rings 11 which are readily re volved (should they be not'inposition) to receive the strap. The reins may IlOW remain loose as therecan be no danger of catching over the end of the tongue, as it iscompletely covered.

The bolt 21 may be a ringed bolt if desiredf The right of slight changesand modifications is reserved coming Within the scope of my invention.

Having: thus described my invention I claim- THOMAS S. MOFFETT.

